Beyond the Darkness
by Rainsong
Summary: Peter Pettigrew is discovered alive by the Ministy. Will Sirius be able to start a new life cleared of the shadows of Azkaban? *Now Complete*
1. Chapter One

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter One  
by CJ Rainsong.  
  
A/N: This is my very first Harry Potter fanfic, and I can't wait to get started. In this story, Peter Pettigrew is captured, and Sirius has a chance at freedom. If you're a MWPP fan like I am, you'll probably enjoy this story. It's set during the summer before Harry's 5th year at Hogwarts. Please Read & Review!  
  
Oh, and by the way. Harry Potter and all of the related characters are copyright of   
the amazing JK Rowling (Nice episode of Biography, btw!) Warner Bros, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and Raincoast respectively.   
  
~~~~  
  
Harry lay awake in his bed, unable to sleep. He stared blankly out the window at Privet Drive, the street lamps casting a thin ray of light on the glossy pavement. It had been raining all week, depriving Harry of an opportunity to sit outside and read. Now there was no chance of escaping the Dursleys even for a brief hour, and he was miserable.  
  
The summer had been hard enough - Dumbledore had sent the Dursleys a letter concerning the events of last year's Triwizard Tournament. And since the Dursleys relished in hearing other people talk of Harry's failures, they were horrified and somewhat disappointed to be sent a letter describing his `great acts of heroism'.  
  
Harry rolled over to glance at the clock positioned in the corner. It read 1:27. He turned back to face the window, still staring out at the street. Unsure of what he was waiting for, he closed his eyes, and resolved to try to get some sleep. But only moments later, he was jolted out of his sleep attempts by a steady tapping noise at the window.  
  
He glanced over, and saw a large speckled owl fluttering outside. He rushed over and opened the window, allowing the owl to fly inside and sit down on a nightstand. He walked over to where it was perched and untied the letter strapped to its leg. `Funny, I don't recognize this one' Harry thought as the opened the envelope carefully. A piece of neatly-written parchment fell out, and Harry almost toppled backwards as he read what was written.  
  
Dear Harry,  
Sorry you haven't heard from me in so long. I've been horribly busy,   
especially now that I am once again unemployed. Luckily, Dumbledore has   
been in touch, and has informed me of a position I might be able to take that  
would be well-paying indeed. And no, sorry, its not the Defense Against the  
Dark Arts job.  
As you may already know, Sirius has been living with me, and besides eating disgusting combinations of food and asking too many philisophical   
questions, he seems to miss speaking with you in person a great deal. So, I   
contacted Dumbledore and asked if you could stay with us for the last week in  
August, before school starts again. And, against all odds, he said yes.  
If you're interested, I've put a pinch of Floo powder in with this letter, and you can arrive anytime tomorrow. If the Dursleys are..opposed to using  
Floo powder, contact me and I'm sure we can work out something else.  
Hope to see you soon!   
-Remus  
  
PS: Sirius doesn't know that you're coming. I thought a pleasant suprise   
might force him out of his angst-ridden stupor. Oh, and no need to call me  
Professor Lupin anymore. Just Remus is fine. Thanks!  
  
  
Harry fell back on his bed, trying his hardest to quell the mounting need to shout for joy. He hadn't seen Sirius or Professor Lupin (now `just Remus') in what seemed like ages, and since the days approaching September the first were always unusually tense for the Dursleys, he was more than happy to be leaving. He hurriedly scribbled a response to Remus, tied it back onto the owl, and watched as it flew off.  
Harry, now more awake than ever, lay back down. He couldn't wait to see the look on Uncle Vernon's face in the morning. 


	2. Chapter Two

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Two  
  
A/N: Wow, I just finished the first chapter of Beyond the Darkness. What do you think? Sorry about the bad formatting and lack of indentation, italics, etc. I don't have the correct programs to upload files onto Fanfiction.net and still retain those features. Oh well, on to Chapter Two. Enjoy!  
  
~~~  
  
Harry woke up the next morning with the same feeling of overwhelming joy fluttering in his stomach. Hurriedly, he got dressed and ran downstairs, deciding that going along with his routine duty of making breakfast for the Dursleys might make breaking the news about going to stay with Remus a little less painful.  
  
"Morning," Harry said as he walked into the kitchen. Uncle Vernon made a brief grunting sound, but did not look up from his paper. Dudley was already being served a slice of grapefruit. Much to Dudley's disappointment, Aunt Petunia had recieved a recommendation from Smeltings, his school, to continue a strict diet. Dudley stared at the grapefruit, disgusted, but eventually plopped it into this fat mouth in one huge shove, wincing as he chewed. Harry, seizing the moment, cleared his throat.  
  
"I got a letter last night." He said loudly over Dudley's chewing. "And? You always get letters from those-" Aunt Petunia paused, determining the best word to use to describe the wizarding community, "those people. Your kind." She put down her knife, casting a nervous glance in Uncle Vernon's direction. "The letter was from one of my old professors, Mr. Remus Lupin. He was wondering if I might be able to stay at his house this week." Harry said. Uncle Vernon slowly lowered his newspaper.   
  
"Lupin...never heard of him. Why would he want you wandering around his house anyway?" Uncle Vernon snapped, his nostrils flaring slightly. "He was very helpful to me in my third year at school. He is also a close friend of Sirius. I believe Sirius is even staying with him right now." Harry said cooly as he shifted oatmeal around in the pan on the stove.  
  
Uncle Vernon's beady eyes seemed to protrude slightly from his head, and the veins near his temples became more visible. "Sirius..that..godfather of yours?" Uncle Vernon said, trying to keep his composure. "Of course. I don't know any other Sirius." said Harry, smiling pleasantly in the Dursleys direction. Dudley's mouth was hanging open, and a few chunks of grapefruit fell out. Aunt Petunia had gone exceedingly pale, and her eyes were darting in every direction, as if she thought Sirius might be lurking in a cupboard somewhere.   
  
"He's not...not coming to the house, is he?" Uncle Vernon asked, standing up. "No, I would hope not. He's still on the run, you know." Harry said, continuing to stir the oatmeal. "I'll be travelling there on my own. I can transport myself there through the fireplace." Uncle Vernon cringed visibly, and Aunt Petunia let out a squeak. They were obviously remembering the time the Weasley family entered there home by means of Floo powder only last year.  
  
Uncle Vernon opened his mouth as if he were about to yell, but then closed it slowly. He walked across the room, grabbed Harry by the collar, and pulled him into the hallway so Aunt Petunia and Dudley were out of earshot.   
  
"Look, boy. If I had it my way, you'd be staying right here for that last week, scrubbing the toilets with a toothbrush!" Uncle Vernon said in a low growl. "But since I don't want that nutter of a godfather coming after my family, you're free to go. But you're going now. I don't want Dudley or Petunia watching as you bewitch the ruddy fireplace." Uncle Vernon said, glancing at his family. "Get all your things and be down here in ten minutes. And make sure you shut up that owl. I'm sick of all of its bloody racket at three in the morning!"   
  
Before Uncle Vernon could even finish his sentence, Harry was taking the stairs two at a time. He rushed into his room, gathering everything he owned. He threw book after book into his trunk, and did a thorough check of the room to make sure he hadn't left anything - quills, ink bottles, and Exploding Snap cards were all seen as dangerous by the Dursleys.   
  
After he was satisfied that everything was packed, he hoisted his trunk over his shoulder to he wouldn't have to risk it clunkling down the stairs, grabbed Hedwig's cage with his other hand, and descended back into the hall and set his things down in front of the fireplace. Uncle Vernon was waiting there, running his fat fingers through his hair and looking at the fireplace. When he saw noticed Harry, he closed the doors and shut the blinds. He walked back over to his original standing place near the hearth, and growled "Well, get on with it then. Do your little hocus-pocus. If you dare make any noise, or destroy any part of this house, i'll drag you back out of that chimney myself!"   
  
Harry decided not to tell Uncle Vernon how empty that threat was, considering he'd be miles away in an instant. He dug deep into his pocket, and pulled out the small bag of Floo powder Remus had included in the letter. He threw it into the fire, which turned green and suddenly grew a foot taller. Harry took his trunk and Hedwig, and stepped in. He tried not to laugh at the horrified look on Uncle Vernon's face as he shouted "Remus's house!". The last thing he saw was Aunt Petunia and Dudley rushing to the room, and Uncle Vernon opening his mouth to try to explain what had just taken place.  
  
In a whirl of black soot and green flame, Harry felt the familiar feeling of being hurled through the air at record speed. He closed his eyes and clutched more tightly to his belongings.   
  
In what seemed like only a few seconds, he found himself tumbling out of a fireplace in a small room. The walls were covered in photographs, and on the opposite side of the room was a massive bookcase, containing books with titles like "Taming the Wolf: The Biography of Fletcher Flandman". The whole room smelled faintly like cinnamon. Before he could examine it more closely, a man entered in from an adjoining room, which must have been the kitchen. To Harry's relief, it was Remus.   
  
"Harry! Welcome! I didn't expect you to be coming so early, or I would have been waiting here to greet you!" Remus said, smiling as he extended a hand to help Harry off the floor. He noted that his old school teacher looked much less sickly than he did when he had last seen him, probably because it was nowhere near the full moon. "How have you been?" he asked after Harry had brushed the soot off his clothes and taken a seat on an overstuffed burnt orange couch. "Alright, I suppose. There hasn't been much to do at the Dursleys, as usual. And I've had no real news of whats been going on outside of the Muggle world." Harry said as Remus sat down in an armchair opposite the couch. "Well, it hasn't been pleasant, I can tell you that much." he replied, gesturing towards scattered editions of The Daily Prophet that where lying on the coffee table.   
  
"Voldemort?" Harry asked as he started to pick up one of the newspapers.  
  
"Mostly," said Remus, "but he doesn't have enough followers gathered to do any severe damage. It hasn't yet escalated to the level it did in the years before you were born. But if someone doesn't knock Fudge of his pedistal soon, I fear it might."   
  
Harry remembered the look on Cornelius Fudge's face after hearing Dumbledore's suggestions on how to combat Voldemort this time around. Envoys to the giants and ridding Azkaban of Dementers were ideas given, among others. Fudge seemed to value his position above the lives at stake, however, and did not seem interested in taking any action.  
  
"He's not doing anything about it?" asked Harry, raising his eyebrows. "No. He's put every Auror in the Ministry on duty, and increased punishment for crimes relating to Dark magic. But that's not saving any lives. Just last week, an entire Muggle family was kidnapped somewhere in France. They haven't been seen since, and the French Minister of Magic said it was the obvious work of Death Eaters. That article's probably in there somewhere." said Remus, nodding towards the newspapers.   
  
Harry glanced through the headlines, reading one after another. There was obviously very little cheer in the wizard world; he saw titles like 'Attack on Diagon Alley Kills 3' and 'Dark Mark Spotted at Convention in Moscow'. He set down the papers, and suddenly remembered one of the main reasons he had come to stay at Remus's.   
  
"Where's Sirius?" 


	3. Chapter Three

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter 3  
by CJ Rainsong  
  
A/N: This is my third chapter. I probably should be getting to my homework, so forgive me if this is brief. For those of you expecting some major Pettigrew-related action, sorry, but the story is just unfolding. I'll try and finish as much as I can this week, though I will be on vacation from Thursday the 28th until Sunday the 31st, so you'll get nothing for that time period. But I should be polishing off a chapter per day until then. Please R&R!  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Sirius? He's probably still sleeping..he usually isn't awake until around eleven, and its still only about 9:30. Oh well, he'll have to put up without an hour or so today." said Remus. He walked over to the staircase, and shouted into the upstairs corridor.   
  
"SIRIUS!"  
  
There was suddenly a loud thump, as if something had fallen onto the floor. Then Harry heard Sirius's voice. "What? Its only 9:30! If this isn't a life-or-death scenario, I'm going back to sleep." Sirius called from upstairs. "Get up, we have a visitor!" Remus called back, resting one foot on the first step as he looked up the staircase. "What, you mean someone else in the world actually wakes up as early as you do, Moony? Somehow I doubt that." Sirius shouted. Remus shook his head in a hopeless sort of way. "Sirius, for the second time, we have a visitor! If you had half a brain, you'd get off your sorry arse and get down here NOW!" Remus called, visibly irritated. "Fine, fine." Sirius said faintly.   
  
Remus sighed and walked over and sat back down on the armchair. "Its going to take him awhile to get ready, unless he decides to come downstairs in whatever he fell asleep in, which is always a possibility." he said.   
  
Harry smiled and turned around to look at the wall behind him. "Have you looked at the pictures yet?" Remus asked, noticing what Harry was looking at. "No, I haven't. What are they all of?" Harry asked as he got up to take a closer look. As soon as he saw the pictures, which were all moving of course, he answered his own question.  
  
The photos on the wall were of his parents; or at least most of them were. There were also a few pictures of people Harry had never seen before - probably Remus's family. He scanned the entire wall, taking in each image slowly. It was like a timeline.   
  
On the left, there were pictures of Remus's early years at Hogwarts. He saw a picture of his parents, Sirius, Remus, and Peter Pettigrew standing next to the Hogwarts express, laughing and waving at whoever was taking the picture. As he moved along the wall, he watched his parents age. There were pictures of James Potter playing Quidditch, and a second one of him holding the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup. Many of the photographs were rather funny; he watched the Marauders as they danced a jig at the Three Broomsticks, dropped a dungbomb on the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, and there was even one of James and Sirius holding a sign that read in shining green letters "629 Detentions Served".   
  
Harry felt Remus walk up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder. "This is where I keep all of my memories. I don't have much left from my days at Hogwarts. These photos can tell amazing stories. Like this one," Remus said, pointing to a picture of James, Lily, and Sirius on a beach somewhere. "This was when we went on vacation in the Bahamas. It was the most fun I think any of us had ever had in one week. We sat on the beach all day, and at night we went clubbing at all of these Muggle places. That was right after our last year at Hogwarts." he said, moving on to the next photo.   
  
"This was Lily and James's wedding. It was really beautiful...there were flowers everywhere, and Sirius gave a really touching toast. He'd kill me if he knew I told you about it though. It was so heartfelt and caring that he forbade anyone to talk about it from that day on." Remus said, chuckling.   
  
"This one I remember well." he said, moving onto a photo of Lily holding what must have been Harry as an infant. "That was the day you were born. We all sat outside of the hospital, wringing our hands until they bled. But then the doctor came out, and told us everything was fine, and that we could come in. And there you were," said Remus, turning to Harry and smiling. "I'll never forget the look on Prongs's face. It was as if the whole world had stopped for this moment. He was so proud to have a son." said Remus.   
  
Harry saw that he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, gazing fixedly at the picture. Slowly, he took his eyes of the picture of Lily in the hospital and moved onto another picture. Harry looked at it closely, not understanding its significance. It was of a old willow tree, draped over a small, grassy green hill. Something in Remus's eyes seemed to fade as he looked at the tree, its branched blowing carelessly in the wind. "What story does this one tell?" Harry asked, still looking at the willow. Remus turned to him, and said softly, "Yours."  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking back at Remus questioningly. "Its only a tree."  
  
"No. Look beneath it."   
  
Harry turned his eyes to look at the object resting in the shade of the tree. And suddenly he understood. A single, solitary headstone was resting there, and he didn't even have to read the inscription to know who it belonged to. Remus began to read out loud.  
  
"Lily and James Potter, 1960-1981."  
  
~~~~  
  
What did you think? I've been told its a tearjerker if you're a big L&J fan. Please R&R! Next chapter should be coming soon! 


	4. Chapter Four

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter 4  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Back again for Chapter Four! Whew, I've written 4 chapters in one day. This one should be interesting. Btw, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, namely quizkid, suger, and Nicky (yes, there will be LOTs of Sirius! He's my favorite character, so u can count on that!)  
  
~~~~~  
  
Harry stood in front of the picture of the willow tree, which he now knew to be the gravesite of his parents. He stared into it, taking in what he was seeing. Remus stood next to him, staring at the ground as if not sure what to say to Harry next.   
  
Harry had never seen the area where his parents were buried, which was no suprise considering he lived with the Dursleys for so long. In fact, he had never even really wondered about it. But suddenly, as he stared into the picture, and saw the swaying branches and gentle sunlight, he felt the need to be there, to touch the very soil. It was a deep yearning, and he would have jumped into the picture if he could. But very suddenly he was pulled back into reality as footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.  
  
Remus and Harry turned around, and watched as Sirius, dressed in deep blue robes that looked much better than the tattered grey ones, clambered down the stairs. His eyes were still half-closed, and he yawned as he strolled into the kitchen, oblivious to the fact the Harry and Remus were standing in the living room.   
  
"Sirius, did you forget already? I told you, we have a guest." Remus said, walking into the kitchen as Harry sat back down on the orange couch. "Oh, yeah. Sorry 'bout that." He heard Sirius say from the kitchen. Then, led by Remus, he walked into the living room once more.   
  
The moment Sirius saw Harry, he dropped the doughnut he was holding. "Harry!" he half-shouted, moving across the room and embracing Harry as though happy to see him alive. "Moony, you stupid git, you could have told me it was Harry!" he said as he walked over to pick up his doughnut, giving Remus a quick smack on the head in the process.   
  
"Frankly, I saw no use in it. You'd probably take even longer if you knew it was someone who could care less what you look like in the morning and not some Ministry official." Remus said, rubbing his head.  
  
"Ok. Number one, if I knew Harry was sitting in your living room, I would move faster because I haven't seen him in months. Also, there's always the possibility that he was sitting down here being tortured by Moony Conversation, which tends to start with 'Enjoying the weather?'. Number two, if there was a Ministry official down here, you wouldn't be calling me at all. You'd be stuffing me in a closet somewhere." Sirius said, taking another bite out of the doughnut he was holding.   
  
Remus opened his mouth to retort, but obviously thought better of it and said instead "So, why don't you try talking to your godson for a change. You bicker with me all day, so there's no excitement in that, is there?" Remus said, and he walked off into the kitchen.   
  
"So, Harry, how's everything been going?" Sirius asked as he settled himself in an armchair. "Pretty good. Same old Dursleys of course. And very little connection to the wizarding world. Hermione's on holiday in America, and she didn't want to put her owl through too long of a journey. Ron's been on vacation too. I think they went to visit Charlie in Romania." Harry said, as Sirius listened intently.   
  
"Well, its good to hear that you're doing alright. I've been here all summer. I'm supposed to be hiding out until further instruction from Dumbledore. To curb my boredom, I've been following a lot of the Death Eater attacks. Unfortunately, they seem to be on the rise, but there's no pattern. No way to predict them, as far as I can tell. You haven't seen anything have you? Any dreams, or random scar pain?" Sirius asked, looking worriedly at Harry.   
  
"No, I'm perfectly fine. But I'm a little worried about Hogwarts, after reading all of these headlines." Harry said, gesturing towards the newspapers stacked on the coffee table.   
"I wouldn't worry about it at all if I were you. Security is going to better than ever. The best, I daresay, possible." Sirius said, taking another bite of his doughnut.   
Noticing the curious look on Harry's face, Sirius continued. "Nothing spectacular. Some of the Ministry's finest will be on hand, probably living at school for the year. Maybe for many years, depending on how soon Voldemort can be killed. Or torn limb from limb, disembowled, and eaten by hippogriffs, depending on levels of personal hatred." Sirius said, finishing off his doughnut.   
  
Suddenly, the same speckled owl that had traveled to deliver Harry's message swooped in and dropped the latest issue of The Daily Prophet onto Sirius's lap. "Thanks Drentle!" Sirius called as the owl continued on into the kitchen to be fed.   
  
"Have you had any breakfast, Harry?" Remus called from the kitchen. "No, I haven't." Harry called back. "Well, come on then. Hope you like waffles." Remus replied.  
  
Harry, who felt like he hadn't eaten in weeks, followed Sirius into the kitchen and they all sat down at the round wooden table that had been set for three. Remus put out a large plate of waffles, and the three of them sat and talked Quidditch for over an hour.   
  
After breakfast was finished, Sirius got up to get an extra glass of orange juice. As he poured it from the carton, Harry remembered the newspaper that was still sitting on the counter, and wondered if there had been any more attacks.  
  
Sirius was obviously thinking the same thing, because as he gulped down his orange juice, he picked up the Daily Prophet and began to read the headline. Harry had turned back to his plate, and didn't see what happened next.   
  
The glass in Sirius's hand had fallen to the floor, and shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Remus started, and Harry stood up also, but Sirius acted as though he didn't hear any of it. He was fixated on what was written on the front of the Daily Prophet.   
  
Remus seemed to notice too, and walked up to catch a glimpse of what Sirius was so absorbed in. But Sirius lifted his hand, and motioned for Remus to go away. After what seemed like hours, he looked up, and turned the front page towards Remus and Harry. The headline read, in bold, black letters,   
  
'PETER PETTIGREW FOUND ALIVE!'  
  
~~~~  
A/N: Heeheehee..cliffhanger! I'll have the next chapter up hopefully tomorrow (March 25th). Until then, why not review? You've come this far! 


	5. Chapter Five

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Five  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: I was in my computer class today around 12:30, and decided to check out my fanfic. All I can say is wow. Thank you so much for reading, and an extra thank you to everyone who reviewed, including:  
  
prongsjr (The rat will pay dearly, I promise)  
Luna Rose (Hang in there, I'm working on it!)  
Kay (Thanks! Sweet dreams!)  
Nicky (I hope to have a gravesite visit soon, it depends on how much i can get done)  
  
Thanks again! -Rainsong  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Harry looked at the headline, and then back at Sirius, who looked more shocked than any of them. Remus had flopped down in one of the kitchen chairs. His eyes were on Sirius also, but they also began darting around the floor, as though he was going over this information very quickly.   
  
"Fourteen years." Sirius whispered, looking back to the headline. There were two pictures beneath it - one of Pettigrew being dragged into a Ministry building in a Full-Body Bind, the second a picture of Sirius. But suprisingly, it wasn't the image of him as the fearsome prisoner that terrified everyone 2 years ago. This was a closeup of the picture taken at Harry's parents' wedding, with Sirius laughing as he stood next to the bride and groom.  
  
Slowly, stepping over the broken glass, Sirius walked back over and sat down at   
the table. Harry had never been in a room so silent; he looked over to Remus,   
hoping that he would say something - anything, to cut through the quiet. But he  
seemed to be waiting for a cue from Sirius, who was still reading intently.   
  
After about five tense minutes, Sirius threw the Daily Prophet onto the table.   
In one swift motion, Remus snatched it up, cleared his throat, and read aloud:  
  
  
'Shortly after midnight last night, a scream was heard outside of a Ministry of   
Magic location outside of London. Luckily, Aurors Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody and Jaques Courdeau were out for a latenight stroll to discuss defense tactics, and   
Apparated into the forest immediately to find the cause of the disturbance. What   
they found shocked them.  
  
Two Muggles were seated on the ground, one Stunned and the other in a Full-Body  
Bind. Next to them was noneother than Peter Pettigrew, thought to have been   
murdered by the infamous Azkaban escapee, Sirius Black. As many remember,   
only a day after the first downfall of You-Know-Who, Sirius Black was convicted   
of the murder of thirteen people, including Pettigrew. We obtained comment from  
Mr. Moody shortly after.  
  
"Awful thing, you know? Black may very well have been as innocent as he   
claimed to be. Pettigrew weaseled out of our clutches once, but he damn well   
won't this time." Moody said in a private interview with the Prophet.   
  
We have confirmation that Veritaserum was used on Pettigrew in the hours   
following his capture, and a lengthy confession was gathered. While no direct  
quotes have been released, Moody confided that Pettigrew's testimonial included   
all of the events from his Dark initiation to the events of the summer.   
  
Minister Cornelius Fudge was unavaliable for comment, but Ministry   
representatives answered some of our queries. In response to the obvious   
blunder of the Ministry in not looking into this case more deeply after its occurance,   
Ministry reps stated that they were 'deeply disturbed by the complexity of this  
case, and hope to have it sorted out correctly in the near future.'   
  
And regarding Sirius Black? Ministry Representative George Barnaby stated "We   
can guarantee that if Mr. Black is indeed found innocent, he will be generously   
compensated for the years he spent in Azkaban. We can only hope he comes   
forward soon. He is in no danger whatsoever, and is encouraged to contact the  
Ministry."  
  
This case will surely become one of the most sensational in the wizarding world  
in years. And, as was stated by Mr. Moody, "I'm just grateful Pettigrew's mother   
won't live to see him torn from the Order of Merlin." '  
  
  
Remus looked up as he concluded the article. "Congratulations, Padfoot. You're   
free."   
  
Sirius looked back at him, still appearing to be entirely dumbstruck. "I never   
expected it, really. You kind of stop hoping after fourteen years. I still wish I had   
been the one to catch him. Maybe the Ministry can deal with him more properly   
though." Sirius said, sighing. His eyes looked more tired than ever, but Harry  
thought he saw a light turn on somewhere within them that moment. A light that  
had probably not shone for over a decade.  
  
"Are you going to go to the Ministry?" Remus asked, turning Sirius's attention   
back to the article.   
  
"I don't know. I have very little reason to trust them, and who knows. This whole   
thing could be an scam to get me back into Azkaban." Sirius said.   
"Oh come on, Sirius. I somehow doubt they'd go to all of this trouble just to catch   
you. They've sent it to thousands of people. The whole world will be talking."   
Remus said. Sirius cheered up slightly. Grinning, he replied "Well then, looks like  
we owe Corny Fudge a visit."  
  
~~~~  
  
A/N: Wish I could've written more, but I have homework to tend to! In the next few chapters, we should be seeing a visit to the Ministry and Wormtail's trial. I'm also   
praying that I can fit a Diagon Alley scene into this somehow. Thanks again to   
everyone who reviewed, and I promise, the story will get more Sirius-oriented.  
I realize it has been slightly Harry-oriented up until now, and I hope to draw away   
from that as much as i can as it progresses.   
  
Also, one of my readers asked about the Dursley's fireplace being on the Floo   
Network. I really didn't consider that detail until now..lets just assume it was   
never disconnected after the Weasley's visit, ok? Sorry for the error. 


	6. Chapter Six

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter 6  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Chapter 6, and still going strong! Special thanks to Alexandra Black, GothicFox, and KaOs-LuVeR-4eVer for reviewing!  
  
~~~~  
  
"Please don't tell me that you intend to address the Minister of Magic as 'Corny Fudge.' It sounds like something from Hogsmeade." Remus said to Sirius as they piled into the car Harry was surprised to see waiting in the garage.   
  
Remus said he found it in a junkyard, and had bewitched it to run on sugar water instead of fuel. It was in shabby condition, but it ran very smoothly. Sirius had insisted on driving, and was surprisingly good at it. Harry guessed he had read a bit about Muggle mechanics after owning a flying motorcycle for so long.  
  
"No. I thought 'simpering jackass' might be more appropriate." Sirius said with a smirk as he turned out onto the main road.   
  
"This isn't something you should joke about. Your freedom depends on the   
decisions of that simpering jackass you were just referring to. If I were you,   
I'd polish up a bit." Remus said, casting a patronizing look at Sirius.  
  
"Relax, Professor. I've got it all under control." Sirius said, rolling his eyes.  
  
Remus sighed and stared out the window, as Sirius grinned at Harry through the rearview mirror. Harry smiled back, relieved to see that Sirius wasn't panicking.  
  
"So, what do we do? Walk in and wait for Fudge to kiss my shoes and beg for   
forgiveness?" Sirius asked, smirking once again.  
  
"I doubt that's on the agenda. Everyone will recognize you anyway, I'm sure   
they'll get Fudge immediately." Remus replied.  
  
"Thanks for bursting the Bubble of Wishful Thinking, Moony. But really, what do   
you think they're going to do? Give me a few Galleons and an Azkaban t-shirt?   
That article said I would be 'compensated'." said Sirius as he made another turn.  
  
"Most likely you'll be given enough money to sustain a high living standard for   
the next few years, or maybe even the rest of your life if they see fit. Thetas one  
of the reasons you have to play the right cards." Remus said.  
  
Harry, who was sitting in the back and thinking about the strange turn of events  
as much as everyone else, suddenly thought of something.  
  
"Do you think there'll be a trial?"   
  
Sirius raised his eyebrows, and looked at Remus, who thought for a moment.   
Then he replied, "Possibly. They might want to make it a clean cut - Pettigrew  
to Azkaban and Sirius on his merry way. But there could be a trial. The Ministry is being closely observed; they might not want to receive any excess   
criticism for sending off another prisoner without a fair chance at defense."  
  
"That scum doesn't deserve a chance at defense." Sirius muttered, looking darkly  
out the window.   
  
"Thetas what they said about you when you were brought in, Sirius." Remus said.  
  
Sirius didn't respond to this, but seemed to understand Remus's point, because  
he dropped the topic completely.  
  
"How might I ask do you know where we're going? I've never heard of the   
Ministry giving out pamphlets with directions to their main headquarters." Sirius   
asked, looking skeptically at Remus.  
  
"I've Apparated there enough times to get the general location down, and I can   
recognize the entrance. Its hidden, of course. A bit like The Leaky Cauldron;   
Muggles just don't notice it." Remus replied, "Make a left turn up here, by the   
way."  
  
Sirius made the turn indicated, and repositioned his hands on the steering   
wheel. "This has got to be one of the worst ways to travel. I don't know how Muggles can put up with being stuck in such a small space for so long." Sirius   
complained.   
  
"Its not that bad. And anyway, we're almost there. Its the second building after  
this next left." Remus replied, pointing at a sign that read Tullymouth Circle.  
  
Harry immediately noticed the building he was talking about. It was ivory white,  
much like Gringotts, with twisted towers and a shining purple sign above the   
entrance that read 'Ministry of Magic' in flourished lettering. Harry had no idea  
how a Muggle couldn't notice it between the two small office buildings next to it.  
But then again, he thought, the Ministry probably has charms so strong he they  
could outwit a skilled wizard. A Muggle would be a piece of cake.  
  
Sirius parked the car outside next to the sidewalk, and the three of them got out  
and walked up to the doorway. "Here goes nothing." Sirius said softly to himself, and opened the great golden   
door.  
  
The marble floor gleamed in the light from hundreds of chandeliers hung from   
the ceiling, and the stone walls bore large banners bearing the Ministry crest. Thousands of witches and wizards were bustling about, sorting through papers  
and jumping in and out of small open-shaft elevators, with small carts that   
looked faintly like grocery carts. The air was filled with popping sounds coming  
from every direction, as people Apparated and Disapparated. But all of the   
noise seemed to quiet considerably the moment Sirius, Remus, and Harry entered  
the massive hall.  
  
Suddenly, an old witch sitting at a desk positioned near the front of the hall   
pressed a glittering purple button on the wall next to her. Sirius prepared to bolt  
from the building, his suspicions confirmed- this was a trap. But before he could  
even open the door, Cornelius Fudge Apparated directly in front of the trio.   
  
Putting waxy smile on his face, he said jovially, "We've been expecting you   
Mr. Black. And I believe you, sir, are Remus Lupin? Good lord, I haven't seen  
you in years! Fourteen years I believe. And Harry! How nice to see you once   
again." He said, patting Harry on the shoulder.  
  
"What is this, Fudge?" Sirius growled, stepping out in front of Harry protectively.  
  
"Certainly not a trap, Sirius, if that's what you were thinking!" Fudge said,   
chuckling. "We wouldn't go to all of that trouble to capture you! Pettigrew's   
in our custody. He's in this very building, actually." Fudge added. "Follow me,   
please. We can meet in my office."   
  
Remus gave Sirius one of those I-told-you-so looks, and mouthed the words   
"After you!" Glaring at him, Sirius walked past, and started down the corridor   
after Fudge. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter 7  
By Rainsong  
  
A/N: Chapter 7! I'm trying to do as much writing as possible before I leave on vacation Thursday. Sorry to deprive everyone of updated fic for four days! In a perfect world, I'd complete chapter ten before leaving. I'll do my best! Thanks to prongsjr and Luna Rose for reviewing again! We're up to 13!   
  
~~~~ Fudge led Harry, Remus, and Sirius down the marble hall to one of the elevators. He led all three of them onto the wiry carts, then said clearly 'Seventh floor!" The cart suddenly began to climb the levels, passing each floor as it went. They watched as two wizards fought over a document on the third floor, and saw what looked like a very confused house elf running in circles on the fifth floor. Finally, the cart arrived on the seventh floor, and the Minister's office came into full view.  
  
The carpet was a rich crimson, and tall windows were shaded by silverly curtains. Fudge's well polished desk was cluttered with an assortment of papers to be signed, and more than a few owls rested on the three-foot perch that was set up in the corner. Fudge opened the door of the cart, and the four of them proceeded into his office. Fudge took a seat behind is desk, and conjured up a chair for each of them. They sat down, and waited for Fudge to speak.  
  
"When I received word that Peter Pettigrew had been found alive, I was shocked." he began, folding his hands on the desk top. "I can assure you, the first person I thought of after hearing that news was you, Mr. Black. Suddenly, the events of years   
past came into question. My worst fears were confirmed after hearing Pettigrew's confession. An innocent man had been put into Azkaban, and had suffered needlessly for over a decade." Sirius continued to stare at Fudge coldly.   
  
"I remember well the months after your escape. I was the prime advocate for your recapture. I can do nothing more than congratulate you on staying well-hidden, or else we could have made another grievous error. And speaking of errors, we must be cautious not to commit another. That is why I have prearranged a joint trial for Pettigrew and yourself, assuming that you would come forward. And its quite lucky you did. Freedom is more or less dancing in your hands right now. Pettigrew is guilty." Fudge said, sounding as though he had been rehearsing his speech for   
days.  
  
"May I see Pettigrew?" Sirius asked. This seemed to catch Fudge off-guard.  
  
"I - I suppose, if thetas what you wish. Follow me." Fudge said, standing up. He  
crossed the room, pulling his wand out of his pocket. "Alohomora!" Fudge said,   
and with his words, a door appeared out of the wall of the office. Fudge opened   
it, and stepped through, beckoning for Sirius to follow him. Harry and Remus   
stood up to follow, but Sirius shook his head, and said softly, "I'll be back."   
With that, the door disappeared, and Sirius continued down the passageway,   
leaving Harry and Remus to sit and wait in the office.  
  
When Fudge came to the next door, he turned back to face Sirius. "Here he is." Fudge said, and threw the door open. Sirius walked through, and gazed down  
at what was beneath him.   
Behind a thick wall of glass, which surely must have been enchanted, sat Peter   
Pettigrew. He looked thinner and more sickly than ever, and his pinkish skin   
seemed too baggy for his body. His watery eyes darted around in fear, and he  
was fussing with the sleeve of his robe nervously.   
  
"Can he see us?" Sirius asked, still staring at Pettigrew.  
  
"No. He only sees the Dementors."  
  
It wasn't until then that Sirius noticed the hooded figures looming in the corner  
of the area. Surprised that he couldn't feel their presence, he turned to Fudge   
questioningly.   
  
"I installed the glass to keep the aura of the Dementors out. I couldn't very   
well conduct meetings outside of this room with them lurking around. The glass  
is also sound-proofed and double-sided. He only sees himself." said Fudge,   
shaking his head and looking disgustedly at Pettigrew.  
  
Sirius walked closer to the glass. He put placed a hand on it, and glared at   
Pettigrew.   
  
In that instant, he felt all of his own emotions from the past 14 years come   
rushing back. Hatred, grief, anger, hopelessness, and pain seemed to well up in   
his chest at the same time. Before he could stop himself, Sirius bashed his   
clamped fist into the glass. As shattering debris rained down upon him, he   
stopped to notice the horrified look on Pettigrew's face. Sirius gently reminded   
himself that it wouldn't be the last time he saw that look on that traitor's face.   
Pettigrew would die, and Sirius would not rest until it came to pass.  
  
~~ 


	8. Chapter Eight

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Eight  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Wow, 7 chapters in three days. I'm proud of myself. Hope this one is satisfactory! Thanks to Kay for reviewing again (I laughed out loud at the dialogue you posted, btw!)  
  
~~~~  
  
When Sirius looked away from Pettigrew, he noticed that Fudge had stepped back, and was grasping the front of his robes in shock. Ministry wizards had hurried over, and restrained Pettigrew, who attempted to make a run for it. Fudge hurried over to the broken shards of glass lying on the floor, and put all of the glass back into place with a charm. As he did so, Sirius caught pieces of the conversation the Ministry wizards were having now that Pettigrew was once again unable to escape.  
  
"I don't know how he broke it!" "-the charm was so strong, too.."  
  
"what'll the Minister do when-"  
  
But Fudge suddenly barked at the group to leave the room, and soon he and Sirius were alone, aside from Pettigrew, who was still staring blankly in Sirius's direction, and the Dementors, who seemed to have become quite exhilarated by the recent events.   
  
"Mr. Black, I hope you realize how thin the ice is that you tread on. Pettigrew could have escaped. Of course, his testimony would still stand, but he'd be back on the streets. Ripping more lives apart, like he did yours. Cause any more damage or create another hazardous situation, and I fear you will not have my protection." Fudge hissed angrily.   
  
With that, he turned on his heel and exited out the door, which had reappeared   
in the wall. Sirius took one last look at Pettigrew, who was still quivering in the   
corner, and followed the Minister back into his office.  
  
When he entered, Remus and Harry stood up, waiting to hear the details of   
what had happened. "We heard a crash," said Harry, looking at Sirius. "What happened in there?"  
  
But Sirius didn't answer. His eyes were glossy and unfocused, and he was lost in his own thought. Thoughts of Lily and James, and what Pettigrew had done. He had never felt such rage coursing through his blood. It had never hit him that hard before. Not since Hallowe'en of 1981. And at that moment, he wasn't sure it ever   
go away. He only half-listened when Fudge answered Remus's question   
for him.  
  
"Sirius had a bit of an outburst of excess energy. He shattered the glass   
guarding Pettigrew. He was apprehended before he could escape, but it was   
narrow. We're just lucky he didn't decide to take on his Animagus form." Fudge   
said, leaning back in his desk chair once more.   
  
Remus sat back down, and stared, wide-eyed, at Sirius.   
  
"You put a lot on the line just to blow off some steam, Sirius." he said.  
  
Sirius still did not look up, or acknowledge anyone else's presence in the room. Remus shook his head, and turned back to Fudge.  
  
"Minister, maybe we should get back to the trial. How soon can we expect to be in the courtroom?" he asked, hoping that a change of subject would bring Sirius   
out of his silence.  
  
"Well, Mr. Lupin, that was one of the many topics I wanted to discuss. When  
Mr. Black feels he is able to provide a prepared explanation of all of the events surrounding this case, we can begin. It may take more than one day, but I am   
quite sure it will be brief and precise on a whole." Fudge replied calmly.  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
"Tomorrow." Sirius replied.  
  
"What do you mean, 'tomorrow?'" Fudge asked, looking questioningly from Sirius  
to Remus and back again.  
  
"I mean I want the trial set for tomorrow." Sirius said firmly, looking up at Fudge   
for the first time.  
  
Fudge sputtered, looking completely bewildered by Sirius's request.  
  
"S-Surely you want time to prepare what you're going to say? You need to be   
capable of defending you story, Mr. Black."   
"I am. My story was played again and again in my mind while in Azkaban. Thanks   
to you, I'm sure I won't forget it." Sirius said, standing up.  
  
Fudge stared up at him, for once unsure of how to respond. His formal speech  
failing him, he replied in a small voice, "Very well."   
  
Harry and Remus stood up also. Sirius shook hands with Fudge, and led the way  
back into the elevator cart, and Fudge watched them descend back to the first  
floor.  
  
When they were back outside, Harry turned to Sirius, speaking up for the first   
time since entering the Ministry building.   
  
"Sirius..are you sure about all of this? A trial tomorrow? The possibility of being  
put back into Azkaban? You're taking a risk."   
  
Sirius stopped walking and turned to face him. "I know what I'm up against. And frankly, its terrifying. But I think this is   
something I have to do. I need my name cleared. I can't go on living like this..on   
the run constantly, blamed for a crime I'd rather die than commit. I'm ending this  
now." he said, looking back out at the horizon.  
  
"We'd better get moving. We have a case to prepare." Remus called.  
  
Harry and Sirius hurried over to the car, and began to prepare for the day ahead.  
  
~~~  
  
A/N: Short, I know. All of my chapters are short. I'll write a long, juicy one tomorrow, I promise. Please review, if you haven't already!! 


	9. Chapter Nine

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Nine  
By Rainsong  
  
A/N: Well, I'm leaving to go on vacation tomorrow, and like I've said before, I'll be gone until Sunday. Sorry for the lack of new chapters during that time period! Anyway, thanks for the reviews Luna Rose, Nicky, prongsjr, GothicFox,   
Lady Foxfire (I have something in store for the glass, I just need to work it into   
the plot. btw, I loved your story 'A Broken Child.') and Mayleesa. Thanks again!  
  
  
~~~~  
  
Sirius, Harry, and Remus stayed up late into the night, discussing the trial and preparing a defense. At around 2 o'clock AM, they concluded that sleep might be the best thing for all of them, and retired. Now it was morning again, and they were preparing to leave for the Ministry of Magic once again.   
  
"Ten o'clock, right? We have an hour still..." Remus said to no one in particular. Sirius, who was pacing in the kitchen, looked up at the clock. For the first time, he noticed that the wizard clock on Remus's wall had all of his friends' names written on the hands. The hand with Sirius's name on it pointed to 'Home', as did Harry's. Peter Pettigrew's hand was broken and scratched, though it still pointed to 'Incarcerated.' Remus had obviously tried to get rid of it with no luck. Then he saw the last two clock hands, bearing the names of James and Lily. They seemed to be stuck on the words 'Mortal Peril', and looked dusty, as though they hadn't moved in years.  
  
Sirius walked up to the clock and examined it closely. Gently, he moved the Lily and James hands to rest on the word 'Sleeping.'   
  
"Sirius, come on! You can't be late!" Remus called from the living room.  
  
Sirius took one last look at the clock, and said softly to himself, "I'll never be late again."  
  
Grabbing his cloak, he followed Remus and Harry out the door, and back to the beat-up old car.  
  
The ride to the Ministry was a totally silent one. Sirius had rolled the window down, and was gazing out at the countryside, and then at the city when they began to near London. He had allowed Remus to drive, which was probably much safer - Sirius was too lost in his own head to navigate the city streets.  
  
In what seemed like only seconds, they had reached the Ministry of Magic building.  
They climbed out of the car and up the brilliant marble staircase, taking one last   
look at the outside before stepping over the threshold.   
  
When they entered, they saw the plump old witch who had pressed the purple   
button the other day waiting by the door.  
  
"I've been expecting you!" she squeaked. "The Minister and the jurors will be   
meeting you in the courtroom. Just take the carts, dears. Mention the courtroom  
and up you'll go. Good luck!" she said, and returned to her desk work.   
  
Once again, the trio found themselves in the slim open-shaft elevators, climbing   
floor after floor. After about a minute, the elevator cart jerked to a halt, and they  
stepped out, finding themselves in what must have been the courtroom. There were torches on the wall, and it seemed strangely dark compared to the  
rest of the building. The two solitary windows in the room were barred, and the   
stone floor was as cold as ice.  
  
There was a tall, intricately carved chair at the front of the room; probably the   
area where the Minister sat. Next to it was a small area for the person in question.  
Beyond that, there were rows and rows of wooden benches, the front ones   
reserved for jurors, the farther ones for those wishing to observe a case. Fudge   
was already sitting on the massive chair, and stood up when he saw the three  
enter.  
  
"Ah, here a bit early, I see? Well, I'll leave you to strategize." Fudge said briskly,  
and he started for the elevator. But suddenly, another cart appeared, carrying a   
short, skinny man in oversized glasses.  
  
"Minister Fudge, sir, the jurors have arrived. Shall I escort them up here?" he   
asked timidly.   
  
"Yes, of course Rudolph. All of them are here?"  
  
Rudolph nodded vigorously.  
  
"Alright then. Send them up, along with anyone who has signed up to observe   
the trial. But only those on the list, mind you!" Fudge said. Rudolph nodded   
again, and leapt back into the elevator cart, disappearing shortly after.  
  
"Only ten minutes now. Mr. Black, you may take your seat in the front. Mr. Lupin   
and Harry, the observation rows please." Fudge said, polishing his golden pocket watch with his sleeve.  
  
Sirius sat down in the front row, and Harry followed Remus into one of the 'observation rows'. Settling down, they watched as people filed in.  
  
Most of the jurors were people Sirius had never seen before. However, he did   
see Mr. Ollivander, the finest wandmaker in the country. Soon it looked as though  
all of the jurors had arrived. The observers then began to file in; Albus   
Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Madam Rosemerta, and Hagrid among them.  
When everyone was seated, and the courtroom began to quiet down, Fudge   
stepped out to the front.   
  
"I believe everyone is here? Good! We may now start the-"  
  
Fudge was suddenly cut off by a rumble from the elevator shaft. Slowly, the cart   
came into view.   
  
"Forgive me for being late, Minister. I had some transportation difficulties."  
  
Out of the cart walked the last person Sirius wanted to see at the moment.  
  
"Ah! Our last juror! Take your seat in the jury booth please, Professor Snape."  
  
Fudge watched as Severus Snape took his seat. Snape smiled maliciously in   
Sirius's direction, as though he was imagining the Dementors dragging Sirius   
back into Azkaban already. He broke off his glare, however, when Fudge began  
to speak.  
  
"Now that we are all settled, I think we may begin. Please, bring the accused!"   
Fudge called. Two Aurors that seemed to be guarding one of the doors up until  
then walked into an adjoining room, and walked back in only moments later with   
Peter Pettigrew, who looked worse than ever.  
  
They sat him down in the booth next to Fudge's throne-like chair. His watery   
eyes continued to dart around the room. He stifled a scream when he noticed   
Sirius sitting directly in front of him, and sank back in his chair even more.  
  
Sitting at a table on the opposite side of the room was another man, who must  
have been assigned to defend Pettigrew. He had black hair speckled with grey,   
and a thin mustache that curled slightly on the ends. He was surveying everyone  
in the room suspiciously, and cast a particularly nasty glare towards Sirius. When  
he saw Snape, he nodded and waved. 'Great..they're friends' Sirius thought   
bitterly, turning back to Pettigrew.   
  
Fudge was now standing in front of Pettigrew, doing something along the lines  
of swearing him in. Whatever Fudge had just said, Pettigrew agreed to, because  
he nodded his head and was allowed to sit back down next to his lawyer, who   
stood up.   
  
"Minister, do I have permission to call my first witness?" he asked in an oily   
voice.   
  
"Surely, Mr. Gervis. Proceed." Fudge said from his chair.  
  
"Very well. I call Sirius Black to the witness stand."  
  
Sirius stood up, and walked nervously to the stand. Even though he knew it was   
coming, he suddenly felt unprepared for an interrogation, and longed to be far  
from the courtroom, even if that meant far from freedom.  
  
"Mr. Black, where were you on Hallowe'en of 1981?" the man now known as Gervis  
asked.  
  
"I was at my home, by myself." Sirius stated simply, trying not to show any fear.  
  
"Where were you during the day?"  
  
"I had lunch with the Potters at the Cheesecake Cauldron. Later we went to the  
park in Godric's Hollow." Sirius replied.  
  
"What did you discuss with them during that time period, Mr. Black?" Gervis   
asked briskly.  
  
"Everything. Our friends, family, Quidditch, the Ministry, Voldemort." Sirius saw  
many people cringe at the mention of Lord Voldemort's name. "The usual conversation." Sirius finished, not breaking eye contact with Gervis.  
  
"Did Peter Pettigrew come up at all during your conversation?" "Yes, he did. As he probably confessed under the influence of Veritaserum, he was made the Potters Secret-Keeper." Sirius replied.  
  
"I thought you were their Secret-Keeper, Mr. Black? That was one of the prime pieces of evidence against you when you were first captured." Gervis questioned.  
  
"Only about a week before that day, I had persuaded James and Lily to switch to  
Pettigrew." Sirius replied simply.   
  
Gervis raised his eyebrows, looking skeptical. Sirius continued.  
  
"Everyone knew I was their best friend; I would be the obvious choice. But Pettigrew-" Sirius said, casting a disgusted glare in Pettigrew's direction - "he   
was lazy, talentless. Sure to break under pressure. I thought it would be the  
perfect ploy." Sirius said, his voice full of hatred directed at himself.  
  
"I see. So, what was the last thing you said to the Potters that day?"  
  
Sirius looked down for the first time, his eyes welling up. It was a moment Sirius  
had remembered well; he could still clearly see Lily's fiery hair blowing in the wind,  
and James laughing as he said goodbye. Looking up to face Gervis once more, Sirius replied in a shaky voice.  
  
"I told them to be careful."  
  
Sirius rested his face in his hands, trying to get a hold of himself. But the   
memories were so vivid, they seemed to burn. He distinctly heard Professor   
McGonagall blow her nose, and Hagrid let out a great sniffle.  
  
Softly, Gervis replied "No further questioning at this time." and watched with a   
smirk as Sirius took his seat once more.  
  
~~~~  
Nice long one, eh? Thanks for reading, please review! I hope to write Chapter 10   
tomorrow morning before I leave for Spring Break at the beach. If I can't, my   
deepest apologizes, I'll continue on Sunday! Happy Easter, Passover,   
Ostara, etc.! -Rainsong 


	10. Chapter Ten

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Ten  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Hey everyone! I just noticed that I'm at 30 reviews! Thanks so much, especially to the latest commentators, Kit Cloudkicker (sorry if the first few chapters bored you, and I apologize for typos. I usually proofread my own work so I can post new chapters in a timely manner, but that day I was obviously in a hurry. Also, there is no guarantee that Sirius is out of Azkaban for good. You'd be surprised how corrupt the justice system can be), GothicFox, Lady FoxFire (No, Veritaserum will not be used) Kay, Nicky, Luna Rose, ChocolateAcorn (Thanks so much, I'm happy you and your friend are enjoying the story!)  
  
~~~  
  
"With your permission, I'd like to call another witness, Minister." Gervis said, still smirking at Sirius. "Yes, yes, on with it." Fudge said, waving his hand.  
  
"I call Alastor Moody to the stand."   
  
Moody climbed out of his seat slowly, hobbling up to the witness stand. The hall took on an eerie silence as the clunking sound of his wooden leg became louder. When he had settled himself at the witness stand, he turned his normal eye towards Gervis, but kept the magical one on Sirius, who still looked rather shook up.  
  
"Mr. Moody, you were with the team that took Sirius Black into custody. Could you describe what happened?" Gervis asked as he paced in front of the stand.  
  
"Certainly. I remember it quite well. I was out to lunch with a few co-workers when it happened. I remember looking out the window, and seeing Pettigrew there, holding his wand and turning those beady little eyes of his up at Black, who was a few feet away. Pettigrew shouted something at Black, who was getting his wand out. The next thing I was the bodies - twelve I believe - and nothing left of Pettigrew 'cept the pool of blood surrounding that finger of his. And there was Black, looking pretty damn thunderstruck in my opinion. They might of taken a bit of time to ask him what happened if he hadn't started laughing like he did. It sealed his fate." Moody growled, his magical eye still on Sirius.  
  
"Did Black say anything after you took him in?"  
  
  
"Not a word. If I were him, I would've been screaming for my life. But he just chuckled quietly, not protesting. It was the easiest job I ever had to do, bringing him into custody." Moody replied.  
  
"So is there really any proof that Pettigrew committed these crimes?" Gervis asked slowly.  
  
"Only what he told us under Veritaserum, which explains everything. I can't stop you from trying to save a guilty man, Gervis, but more testimonies will. We got the wrong man when we took in Sirius Black, whether the Ministry will admit it or not. You're wasting your time." Moody said, turning both of his eyes towards Gervis in a menacing glare.  
  
"Very well, Mr. Moody. Take your seat." Fudge interjected, preventing Gervis from replying to what Moody had just said.   
  
"Now I believe it is time to begin the examination of evidence against Mr. Pettigrew. I ask that Mr. Trenthorn come forth to begin." Fudge said, turning his gaze towards the back of the room.   
  
A tall man with copper hair and thin, square spectacles stood up in one of the last rows. Walking forward, he dropped his briefcase off in one of the first rows.   
Straightening up, he walked towards the center. He cleared his throat and announced, "As my first witness, I call Mr. Rubeus Hagrid."  
  
Hagrid jumped slightly in his seat, obviously not expecting to be called up on for anything. However, he stood up and walked towards the witness stand, and sat down quickly, looking from Trenthorn to Fudge and then back to the crowd again. Sirius looked at the giant of a man nervously, hoping that Hagrid's testimony would count in his favor.  
  
"Mr. Hagrid, you were second to arrive at the scene of Voldemort's last murder   
in Godric's Hollow. Who was there first?" Trenthorn began.  
"Sirius Black, sir. Got there a few minutes before me." Hagrid said shakily.  
  
"What was he doing there?" Trenthorn continued.  
  
Hagrid seemed to tell this part of the story with a very heavy heart.  
  
"He was sittin' there, lookin' over the house. It'd been destroyed, yeh know.   
He was shakin, an' looked mighty pale. Lily an' James were a few feet away. He  
jus' kept on lookin' at the two of them. Like the world had ended." Hagrid said,   
pulling out his handkerchief.  
  
"Did you speak with him?"   
"Yeah, 'course I did. I told 'im it would be okay, an' that I was real sorry. An' I   
told him Harry was alive. He wanted to take Harry an' look after him, but I had  
orders from Professor Dumbledore. I didn' want Harry goin to his aunt an' uncle's,  
but I thought Professor Dumbledore knew best. So I let Sirius hold him one las'  
time. Then he gave me his motorbike. The flyin' one he used to have." Hagrid said  
heavily.  
  
"That was the last time you spoke to him?"   
Hagrid nodded, looking down at his shoes.  
  
"Mr. Hagrid, do you think Sirius Black is innocent?" Trenthorn asked.  
  
Hagrid seemed to ponder this for a moment, but then answered clearly, "Yes. All that evidence against him in the beginnin' means nothin' now. I believed  
everything they said about him up until now. But after hearin' 'bout Pettigrew   
being alive, I changed my mind. Yeh have my word that Sirius would never betray  
Lily an' James." Hagrid said, taking a breath to blow his nose.  
  
Trenthorn thanked Hagrid, and told him to go back to his seat.   
Sirius let out a deep breath too. Hagrid had said nothing that could damage the  
defense. As much as he liked and trusted Hagrid, he wasn't sure how much  
credible information he had.  
  
"For my next witness, I would like to call Albus Dumbledore." Trenthorn said, continuing the questioning.   
  
Dumbledore stood up and walked swiftly over to the witness stand. He took his   
seat, and turned his sparkling eyes towards Trenthorn.  
  
"Professor, you knew Mr. Pettigrew when he was a boy at Hogwarts. What was  
he like?" Trenthorn began.  
  
"He was a caring boy who was lucky to have friends in high places. While his  
school work was less than outstanding, he kept up for the most part. He seemed   
to be quite happy." Dumbledore said.  
  
"And who were his 'friends in high places' that you speak of?"  
  
"James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin by name. All three were well-liked   
if not well-known. Never have I seen such creative pranks at Hogwarts. I could   
even go as far as saying that they were popular." Dumbledore said with a smile.  
  
"But Pettigrew was never on their level, was he?"  
  
"I suppose not. But it wasn't as though they disliked the boy; a friend is a friend,   
regardless of ability or status." Dumbledore replied.  
  
"Did you maintain connections with any of the students you just mentioned?"  
Trenthorn continued.  
  
"Oh, yes. I was in regular contact with all of them." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Did any of them ever show any sign of an alliance with the Dark Lord?"   
  
"No, not once. But we knew that someone was passing information along." Dumbledore said, looking more serious.  
  
"What did you think of the decision that Sirius Black was to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" Trenthorn asked.  
  
"I was quite comfortable with it, actually. I did not suspect Mr. Black at all." Dumbledore said shortly.  
  
"According to Mr. Black, the Potters switched Secret-Keepers. They used Pettigrew instead. Do you believe this to be true?"  
  
"Yes, though I was surprised that they didn't inform me. Then again, there were  
spies everywhere. They may have thought it safer to keep it between themselves." Dumbledore replied.  
  
"In conclusion, do you believe Mr. Pettigrew to be guilty of all charges?" Trenthorn  
asked.  
  
"Absolutely." Dumbledore replied. Slowly, he bowed, and left the witness stand.  
  
~~~~  
  
Please review! Thanks! 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter 11  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Back from vacation! I'm proud to say that I saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the 8th time, but this time it was on Spectravision (TM) at the hotel. The only negative thing I can say about that is that it wasn't widescreen. Very obviously formatted..oh well! Thanks to everyone who reviewed while I was gone!  
~~~~  
After the questioning, Fudge cleared his throat. "I now believe it is time to play   
back Mr. Pettigrew's confession under Veritaserum."   
  
Fudge reached under his chair and pulled out a small, clear bottle. Inside it was  
a swirling green smoke. Fudge grabbed the cork and pulled hard. When he did,  
a wisp of smoke came out, and as if on cue, the whole room became silent. Only  
moments later, an amplified voice filled the room.  
  
"Who are you?" it asked. Sirius assumed that it was the Auror questioning Pettigrew.   
  
"My name is Peter Pettigrew." came Pettigrew's voice.  
  
"Peter Pettigrew is dead."  
  
"No. I staged my own death, and have been living in an Animagus form for the past 13 years."  
"Explain yourself."  
  
The voice that was unmistakeably Pettigrew's went on to tell the story of becoming  
a Death Eater, betraying the Potters, and caring for Voldemort. It ended with Voldemort's resurrection.  
  
After all of the smoke had left the bottle, the sound faded, and the confession   
was finished. The crowd was left in shock. The silence that had come over them in the first minutes of the recording did not fade until Fudge spoke again.   
  
"Mr. Pettigrew, please come up to the witness stand."  
  
Pettigrew. who looked to be on the verge of tears, walked up and took a seat next to Fudge. He was wearing silver handcuffs that seemed to glow. Sirius had worn them  
before, and knew their purpose; besides restricting the use of a prisoner's hands, they prevented Disapparation and shape-shifting.  
  
"Mr. Pettigrew, do you have anything to say about the testimony we just heard?" Fudge asked, staring at Pettigrew with mounting dislike.  
  
Pettigrew only whimpered. Fudge sighed, and said, "Very well. I now invite anyone  
else in the courtroom with a question for the accused to come forth now."  
  
Almost subconsciously, Sirius got to his feet and stood before Fudge. "Go ahead Sirius." Fudge said softly, and watched as Sirius stood before Pettigrew. This was the confrontation Sirius had waited for.  
Peter let out a very ratlike squeak as he watched Sirius with fear. But Sirius made  
no move to kill him. He simply asked, in little more than a whisper, "Why?"  
  
This question seemed to be a fate worse than death for Pettigrew. He shifted uncomfortably, and his lip began to tremble.  
"Why'd you ruin my life, Peter? Was it worth it?" Sirius asked. Peter than began to speak.  
  
"I didn't mean to put you in Azkaban, Sirius." he said softly, still quivering.  
  
Sirius's eyes opened wide suddenly.  
  
"You think this is what this is about? Azkaban? No, Peter. It was never about Azkaban. I'd live in Azkaban for the rest of eternity if I knew that James and Lily were safe at home with their son. But I'll never have that ever again. You didn't just kill my best friends, Peter. You killed part of my soul."   
  
Peter let out another great whimper, expecting to be killed any moment.  
  
"I-I never m-meant to-"   
  
"Don't say that. You knew what you were doing." Sirius growled, moving closer  
towards Peter.  
  
"S-Sirius, I'm sorry.." Peter whimpered, now aware of the mounting number of Aurors beginning to fill the room.  
  
"Sorry doesn't cut it Peter. You should have thought of the consequences before  
you let them burn the Dark Mark into your skin. You knew that if you ever laid a hand on anyone I loved, that you'd pay dearly. You've known that since we were young at Hogwarts. What made your forget?"   
  
But Peter just shook his head hopelessly and looked back at Sirius.  
  
"Against my better judgement, I'm going to let the Ministry deal with you Peter. While I'm sure all of my ideas for a punishment are much better suited to your case, I think they could come up with some interesting alternatives." Pettigrew opened his mouth in horror. Sirius looked straight into Pettigrew's eyes, and said softly, "Lily and James, Peter. How could you?"  
  
Sirius's allusion to Pettigrew's words from 14 years ago proved to be too much.   
Pettigrew let out a moan, and began sobbing loudly, looking more pathetic than anyone thought possible.  
  
Sirius sat down again. It felt as though years of torture had just been lifted. He had said what he needed to say to Pettigrew. And now he had a chance at freedom.   
It all seemed surreal.  
  
Aurors had rushed forward and were dragging Pettigrew into another room. The doors slammed, and Fudge began to speak. "I call a short recess so that I may converse with the jurors." With that, the room broke into quiet conversation. Remus walked over to Sirius and sat down.  
  
"Maybe now he understands." Remus said shortly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.  
"Pettigrew. Now maybe he understands what he's done, and will accept his sentence more willingly."  
  
Sirius scoffed. "That coward? He's going to cry all the way to the Dementors. But it did feel good to say those things to him. I've thought about saying that since..forever, I guess." Sirius said, looking more relaxed.  
  
"Well, it should only be a matter of time now before this recess is over." Remus said.  
  
  
"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked, looking around the courtroom.  
  
"Talking with Hagrid. I only caught snippets of the conversation, including 'slimy Slytherins' and 'Blast-Ended Skrewts'. Good synonyms, but otherwise I have no idea what they're discussing." Remus said, sitting down on the bench next to Sirius.  
  
"Random inspiration to eavesdrop, Moony? I hope this case isn't boring you; I've been on the edge of my seat." Sirius said, looking nervously over towards Fudge and the jurors.  
  
"Trust me Sirius, I'm just as nervous as you are. But I think the case is pretty much won. Pettigrew's confession stands against him." Remus said.  
  
"But its still up to the jury, right?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
Then Remus noticed what Sirius was looking at. Snape glaring at them from the other side of the courtroom. He looked exceedingly angry.  
  
"Well, maybe he just found out that there's no chance of Pettigrew winning." Remus said encouragingly.  
  
"Or that could be his everyday expression. We'll have to ask Harry." Sirius said, turning back to look at the front of the courtroom.  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
"What?"   
  
"He's coming over."  
  
And sure enough, Snape was making his way across the room towards the two of them. Remus and Sirius stopped talking immediately and stood up. Snape stopped and stood in front of them. Remus made an attempt at friendly conversation.   
  
"Ah, Severus! Nice seeing you here."   
  
"Give it up, Lupin. No use pretending we don't despise each other." Snape said, jerking his head towards Sirius.  
  
"And here's our infamous prisoner. Who would have thought that there was even a chance for you to be released? I certainly didn't. Anyway, I wouldn't get your hopes up. Herman Gervis is an excellent lawyer." Snape said in an amused voice. Neither Sirius or Remus responded, so Snape continued.  
  
"I always knew this would happen. I remember your little gang back at Hogwarts. Breaking rules, making life miserable for the rest of us. It seems like destiny that you'd all recieve fates like this. Black in Azkaban, Lupin alone and unemployed, Pettigrew a Death Eater, and..well, at least one of you got what was coming."  
  
In one swift motion, Remus punched Snape square in the jaw, knocking him over onto the floor. The noise level in the room rose as people hurried over to see what had happened.   
  
Sirius stared at Remus in disbelief. "Where'd that come from?" he asked, looking down at Snape. "You moved more quickly than I did; I was going to punch him too."  
  
"Well, Padfoot, I guess you would call it 'random inspiration'." Remus replied with a grin.  
  
Sirius laughed. The two of them swung a high-five, and looked back down at Snape.  
He still looked dazed, but was getting back up, and looked murderous.   
  
"Everyone, everyone! Back to your seats, the jury had come to a decision!" Fudge called. Sirius moved back to his seat, forgetting about Snape and returning his attention to the case. Fudge cleared his throat again.  
  
"It has been decided that Mr. Peter Pettigrew is found guilty of the following charges: The murder of 12 people including Muggles, conspiring against the Ministry, betrayal of the oath of a Secret-Keeper, and assissting in innumerable deaths in the past months. You are sentenced to The Dementor's Kiss."   
  
Pettigrew let out a loud wail. There was a shocked wave of conversation going through the courtroom. Suddenly, the doors to the courtroom where flung open. Four men, dressed all in black, had entered, with their wands drawn. One of them shouted "Clean it out!"  
  
Suddenly, realization dawned on Sirius. He knew who the four men were.  
  
iDeath Eaters/i  
  
~~ A/N: Sorry about the cliff! To be continued... 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Beyond the Darkness - Chapter Twelve  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Wow, I got a lot of feedback after that last chapter! Thank you to faerie, Erin, GothicFox, ArtGirl, and Kaylin for reviewing! I believe this may be my last chapter in this story, depending on how much I can finish. But there will be an Epilogue, so you can look forward to that! Thanks!  
  
~~~  
  
Suddenly the entire room erupted in screams. People began to run aimlessly, and Sirius saw a few duck under their seats. The Aurors already had their wands out, and were preparing to battle the Death Eaters that had stormed the room only moments before. Their objective was obvious; they were trying to free Pettigrew.  
  
Sirius pulled out his wand. Ducking behind one of the benches, he waited until a Death Eater was in close range. As quickly as he could, he shouted "Petrificus Totalis!". He watched as the Death Eater froze up, and fell to the ground. Before he could be seen, Sirius crawled under the bench closest to him. Suddenly, he heard someone whisper his name. He turned around and saw Harry, on the floor next to him.   
  
"Harry! Where's Remus?" Sirius asked in little more than a whisper.  
  
"I don't know. He told me to hide.. he might have gone after them." Harry replied, looking worried.  
  
"Look, you stay here. No matter what you hear, don't move. I'm going to try and find him." Sirius said. Before Harry could protest, Sirius had moved out from under the bench and hid behind the witness stand. He peered out and surveyed the scene before him.  
  
About ten Aurors were now in the room. Two of the Death Eaters were Stunned, the other two were being cornered. The Ministry was winning. But it didn't look so good for a few of the observers. Horrified, Sirius realized that a few of them appeared to be dead. Was Remus among them?  
  
Sirius had to have a better view. He moved from the witness stand over to the left side of Fudge's chair. The last Death Eater had just been Stunned, and was being carried by Hagrid, who threw him on top of the others. Swiftly, the Ministry wizards moved forward and began to move the Death Eaters out of the courtroom.   
  
Fudge, who seemed to have been hiding, stood up and walked to the front of the room. "Please, everyone, calm down! The Death Eaters have been apprehended, you may all come out of hiding." Fudge shouted. Slowly, people began to emerge. To Sirius's relief, he saw both Harry and Remus alive, and sitting back down.   
  
"Minister! Minister, its Rudolph!" A voice called. Sirius turned to see the plump witch from the front desk staring hopelessly at something on the floor. Fudge hurried over, took one look, and said faintly to an Auror, "G-Get the mediwizards in here." The Auror nodded, and left, only to return moments later with two mediwizards. They both waved their wands, and Rudolph came into view. His eyes were open, but he wasn't moving. Sirius knew what had happened. The short, anxious little messenger from earlier that morning had gotten caught in the crossfire.   
  
People moved back, bowing their heads and watching as little Rudolph was carried from the courtroom. Fudge frowned, and turned to address the crowd.   
  
"What you all just saw was an attack by You-Know-Who's men. I cannot deal with panic now, so I ask that you all remain in your seats. No one is to leave this courtroom until permission is given. I need to speak with the Aurors." Fudge said, and he hurried off into the adjoining room without another word.  
  
Sirius walked over to where Remus and Harry were sitting. He flopped down on the bench, catching his breath.   
"Are you two alright?" Sirius asked.  
  
Remus and Harry nodded. Sirius leaned his head against the back of the bench. "Good." he said softly.  
  
"Sirius," Remus said, sounding nervous. "What do you think happened to Pettigrew?"  
  
Suddenly Sirius remembered. Pettigrew was in the adjoining room. He could have already been set free by the Death Eaters. Sirius started to stand up, preparing to find out what had happened, but Remus grabbed his arm. "Sit. They'll announce what happened in a moment." Remus said. "Now is probably not a good time to burst in on Fudge's little meeting."   
  
Sirius nodded, and sat back down. Luckily, no one had to wait long for news, because Fudge came bustling through the door and shouted, "Black! In here, now!"  
  
Sirius glanced nervously at Harry and Remus, and stood up. He followed Fudge into the adjoining room. What he saw next was totally unexpected.  
  
The four Death Eaters were laying in a pile, still Stunned. Next to them was Pettigrew, who was sitting in a chair. But Sirius noticed that he wasn't sitting at all. Slouching lifelessly was more like it.  
  
"Killed. Pettigrew was murdered by the Death Eaters." growled a voice from behind Sirius. Mad-Eye Moody stepped forward.  
  
"W-Why?" Sirius stammered, looking at Pettigrew in disbelief.  
  
"Your guess is as good as ours. They were probably afraid that he might divulge some..er...'classified' information of theirs. And here I thought they were going to provide an escape for him." Moody said, shaking his head.  
  
"What now?" Sirius asked, still not taking his eyes of the dead form of Pettigrew in front of him.  
  
"Well, I reckon the case is over. Pettigrew's guilty, he's been killed, and you're free to go." Moody said, slapping Sirius on the shoulder. "You can leave now if you want. It might get ugly when we have to explain everything to that lot." Moody continued, gesturing towards the crowd beyond the door.  
  
Sirius nodded, and walked out. When he got back into the courtroom, he beckoned for Remus and Harry to follow him out of the building. On their way out, Dumbledore stood up and faced Sirius.   
  
"I believe you are to be congratulated, Sirius. Freedom is finally yours. Good luck." Dumbledore said, bowing. Sirius nodded, thanked Dumbledore, and continued down the elevator shaft.  
  
~~~  
  
A/N: Well, that was the last chapter. What do u think? I'll start the Epilogue now. Please Review! 


	13. Epilogue

Beyond the Darkness - Epilogue  
by Rainsong  
  
A/N: Well, there's no author's note really. Thanks to Kit Cloudkicker and Vampire Child for reviewing!  
  
~~~~~  
  
It had been a month since Peter Pettigrew's death at the hands of the Death Eaters. Sirius had been awarded a large sum of money for the mistakes of the Ministry regarding his emprisonment, and had been living in the London flat he owned before. He had also become gained full guardianship of his godson, who was now living with him in the summer fulltime, much to the Dursley's delight. Remus had taken a job at Hogwarts involving 'something other than teaching.' Harry had begun his fifth year. The school was granted a surprise vacation due to a problem with the second-floor plumbing, and Harry was staying with Sirius. On this particular day, they joined Remus to visit some old friends.  
  
Sirius watched in awe as they neared the site he had only seen in pictures. The rolling hills, the glowing sunlight, and the tall, sorrowful willow tree marked its location. For the first time, he was going to see where his best friends were laid to rest.  
  
When they had reached the top of the hill, they all stood silently, gazing at the inscription on the stone. Harry kneeled down and brushed his fingers across it, feeling the cool marble and the grooves of the lettering. After a few minutes, he stepped back, taking in what he was seeing. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set. Remus cast a meaningful glance at Harry, and they retreated back down the hill, leaving Sirius alone.  
Sirius sat down in front of the stone, unsure of what to do or say. There was no one to talk to, after all. Though it had been 14 years, he still had to remind himself that Lily and James were dead. The very thought still caused a particular pain to swell in his heart.  
  
"Its over now. Pettigrew's dead. Not that that solves a bloody thing." Sirius began awkwardly, looking at the tombstone.   
  
"Well, maybe it does. I'm free, if that counts. And I can help Harry. Its no secret that I've been the world's worst godfather up until this point."  
  
Sirius rested a hand on the tombstone, staring at the ground.  
  
"God, you have no idea whats it been like without you two around. Everything hurts. A newspaper, a picture album, a glass of butterbeer. I don't think there's anything that doesn't hold a memory. The hardest is watching Harry grow up. He looks just like you, James. But he has your eyes, Lil. I've never seen a color that brilliant anywhere else."  
  
"Do you remember that time when we found that tunnel underneath Filch's cabin in our sixth year? It was really dark, and I kept saying that I thought I was going to get lost. But you guys stood behind me, and kicked me along, telling me that I wouldn't get lost if I stayed to the path and looked for a light. I think thats what I have to do. Stay to the path, and follow the light. The only difference is, there's no one behind me anymore. It makes it much, much harder." Sirius paused, trying to fight down the urge to cry.  
  
"The worst part is that I know its my fault. I should have stayed Secret-Keeper. I could have saved you, even if the world was lost to Voldemort. I'll always remember that."  
  
"Now I think I need to focus on being a guardian to Harry. You didn't choose me to sit around all day feeling sorry for myself. As much as I hate to admit it, he'd be fine on his own, too. He's extrordinairly brave, and has some great friends at Hogwarts. But things are getting..bad. Voldemort's back, and I don't know how we're going to stop this one. You both died fighting the good fight. You saved the world, really."   
  
Sirius stopped, and stood up.   
  
"I should be going now. I'll come back though." he said.   
  
Sirius turned to face the path. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a gentle gust of wind pushed at his back, as if urging him forward. When he didn't move, he felt the gust pick up, pushing him harder.  
  
Chuckling, he smiled and said softly "Thanks, guys." With that, he started down the path, into the light of the sunset.  
  
~*~The End~*~  
  
A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, and everyone who will review in the future. I really enjoyed writing this! Can't wait to start on my next fiction!   
  
-Rainsong 


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